respawn.codes

PlayStation 5 · Error code

CE-109737-7

Your PS5 can’t recognise the connected USB storage device — often formatting, the port, or the drive itself.

Multiple causes Last reviewed June 13, 2026

Explanation

What this error means

CE-109737-7 is documented as “the USB storage device cannot be recognized.” The console can’t use the USB drive you attached. The common roots are an unsupported format, a port or cable problem, or a drive that doesn’t meet the PS5’s requirements for extended storage — all usually sortable at home.

Official reference: Sony support page for CE-109737-7

Diagnosis

Most likely causes

Cause How likely Fixable at home?
Drive not formatted in a supported way Likely Yes — reformat for PS5
Connected through a hub or to a front port Likely Yes — use a rear USB port
Drive doesn’t meet USB extended-storage specs Possible Sometimes — use a compliant drive
Faulty cable or the drive itself Possible Sometimes — test another drive

Repair

How to fix it

Ordered easiest-first. Try the next step only if the error comes back.

  1. Use a rear SuperSpeed USB port directly

    Plug the drive straight into a rear USB port, not through a hub. Extended storage needs a SuperSpeed USB connection to be recognised reliably.

  2. Format the drive for PS5

    For extended storage, go to Settings > Storage > USB Extended Storage > Format as USB Extended Storage. Back up any files first — formatting erases the drive.

    ⚠ Formatting permanently erases everything on the USB drive. Copy anything you need off it before formatting.

  3. Check drive requirements

    USB extended storage must be USB 3.0 or later and within the PS5’s supported capacity range. Very old or oversized drives may not qualify.

  4. Try another cable or drive

    Swap the cable, or test a different known-good drive, to isolate whether the issue is the cable, the drive, or the console.

  5. Restart the PS5

    A restart clears a transient detection glitch and re-scans attached storage.

Escalation

When it's not your fault

Signs the problem is on Sony's side — or in the hardware — rather than anything you can change:

  • The same drive works on a PC but not the PS5 — likely a format or spec mismatch, not a dead drive.
  • It only fails through a hub or front port and works in a rear port.
  • A different compliant drive is recognised immediately.
When to contact Sony: If a known-good, correctly-formatted USB 3.0 drive in a rear port still isn’t recognised, contact PlayStation Support to check the console’s USB ports. Check the official PS5 server status page first, then reach Sony support if the error persists.

Questions

FAQ

Why won’t my USB drive show up?

Most often it’s connected through a hub or front port, or isn’t formatted as USB extended storage. A direct rear-port connection and a PS5 format usually fix it.

Can I store PS5 games on USB?

You can store (and play) PS4 games from USB extended storage, and store PS5 games there to move later — but PS5 games must be played from the internal SSD or an M.2 SSD.

Does formatting delete my files?

Yes — formatting as extended storage erases the drive. Back up anything important before formatting.

CE-108255-1 A game or app on your PS5 has crashed — usually a one-off, but corrupted data or a missing update can make it repeat. CE-118446-4 Your PS5 hit a problem while updating the system software or one of its built-in system apps. CE-105799-1 Your PS5 can’t reach Sony’s servers — caused by anything from a PSN outage to your own router or DNS. CE-110538-8 Your PS5 failed to read a Blu-ray disc — most often a dirty or damaged disc, sometimes the drive itself.